In an elegant dining room in a well-appointed manor house not far from the palace, Mai's parents cornered her at lunch. They'd just finished the main course when her mother smiled at her, and said, "Well, Mai, your little romance with Prince Zuko seems to have been less of a disaster than I thought."

"Yes," said Father. "It seems you are far more astute politically than either of us had suspected. I believe we owe you an apology."

"For trying to disown me after I got arrested, you mean?" said Mai, her eyes narrowing. She chose not to remind them how enthusiastic her mother had been when she first started dating Zuko when he was considered a war hero, only to change her mind after he was declared a traitor.

"Indeed. You saved your uncle's life, and are quite likely to become the next Fire Lady."

"And it will undoubtedly assist your father's career. You are a credit to your family."

"I didn't do it for your career." Or because I thought it would be politically expedient later.

Her parent's smiles faltered slightly. "Oh come now," said Mother. "There's no need to be so negative about everything. We're proud of you. Can't you be happy for once?"

"I take it I'm not actually disowned, then?" said Mai.

"Of course, I wouldn't have actually done so," said Father, looking hurt. "But you did place us in a very dangerous position. If Ozai had decided to make an example, he might not have stopped with you, and we had Tom-tom to consider."

"Of course you did," said Mai, looking away. They'd do anything to ensure Tom-tom's safety, but not hers. She had never been anything other than a gamepiece in Father's political games, not to either of them. "It doesn't matter now. Ozai and Azula are the ones in prison."

"Indeed. So tell me, how are things between you and our new leader?"

"Fine," said Mai.

Her mother scoffed. "Mai! How often do I need to tell you? A single word is not an appropriate answer to every question."

Mai thought of Zuko, and everything she was not willing to share with her parents. Maybe she should shock them? That was tempting, but she would pay for it later. "He's pretty focused on having just become Fire Lord. He was worried about me, and glad to see I was okay."

"That's good. But do you know anything about this waterbender girl – I don't remember her name? There's a rumor going round there's something between her and the Fire Lord."

Mai froze. Zuko wouldn't – he'd have told her if he'd fallen for someone else, wouldn't he? He was such a stubbornly honorable dork, there's no way he'd lie to her about that. And he'd seemed thrilled that she still wanted to be with him. "Where did you hear that?" asked Mai.

"In the court. I understand she saved his life after the Agni Kai."

"Oh, Katara. She's a healer, and he saved her life, so she's fussing over him."

"You might want to keep an eye on her."

Mai nodded. After all, she didn't know how Katara felt about Zuko.

"Well, Zuko being focused on being Fire Lord is understandable," said her father. "It is a hard job, none harder, and he is not coming in in the best circumstances. He's going to need all the reliable friends and allies he can find."

Mai nodded. She might be just barely 16, but she could figure THAT much out herself. And what her father was hinting at.

"You want him to give you a job, don't you?"

He grimaced at hearing her put it so bluntly. "Well, I do have experience governing a colony, and he's short a colonial minister right now. He could do much worse."

Mai gave a little shrug. Zuko probably could do worse, at that. The court was full of vipers, and she was pretty sure her father wouldn't bite the hand that fed him. "I'll tell him you're interested," she said. "But I can't promise results." Zuko hated people cozying up to him for favors. She did not plan on putting herself in that category.

"Momma, isss cem?" asked Tom-tom, tugging at their Mother's sleeve.

Her parents smiled dotingly, but with a little puzzlement, at the toddler. Tom-tom pointed at the bowls laid out on the table, making sad eyes. Mother's eyes lit up with understanding. "Why yes, it is indeed time for ice cream."

"Yes!" squealed Tom-tom.

Mai put her hands over her ears, but smiled slightly.

Notes: I know the comics have Ukano (Mai's father), as being a not-especially ept villain who works with Azula to try to overthrow Zuko in secret, but in the series he and his wife seemed more like ambitious social climbers than anything else.